Cut off aid to Pakistan government unless it preserves Christians says a British human rights campaigner

Big-league human rights champion, Peter Tatchell has demanded the all aid to the Pakistan government should be withheld, unless it actually starts defending its Christian citizens. He heaped condemnation on the Pakistan followed by the announcements of Quranic education being made compulsory at education institute- which he termed as extended restriction of civil rights of Christian Pakistanis.

The veteran activist said: “This is the latest escalation of the country’s bias against Christians, other minority faiths and non-believers.” He contended that the UK government should “should make overseas aid to Pakistan conditional on Islamabad’s protection of the human rights of Christians and other minorities. If Pakistan’s rulers do not comply, the UK should switch aid from the government to NGOs that do not discriminate.”

Followed by a report publicized by the British Pakistani Christian Association, the British activist urged for an inexorable need for measures taken in order to secure Pakistani Christians. The BPCA’ report details the Christian Pakistanis are frequently subjected to violent prosecutions, kidnappings and forced marriage of Christian girls and many others horrendous acts of this kind.

In its report, the BPCA estimated that 86% of Pakistan’s Christians make both ends meet by occupying minimal jobs such as sweepers, domestic servants, sewage workers, or bonded laborers. “BPCA’s report reveals shocking inequalities, disadvantages and outright oppression of Christians and other minority faiths in Pakistan, such as Hindus and Sikhs. Atheists, secularists and humanists are also persecuted,” Tatchell said.

“Pakistan is a member of the Commonwealth. By failing to ensure equality for Christians, other non-Islamic faiths and non-believers, Pakistan is in breach of its human rights obligations under the Commonwealth Charter, as well as under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

In this respect, BPCA’ head Wilson Chowdhry reiterated Peter Tatchell’s call for the UK to take action. “Britain and America plough money into Pakistan. £225 million pounds of Britain’s £445 million budget given to Pakistan last year was allocated towards holistic educational reform.

This places Britain internationally as a de facto funder of state-sponsored hatred towards Pakistani Christians. I pray our MPs see sense and either terminate aid to Pakistan, their largest aid recipient, or insist upon improved human rights as a condition for continued funding.